Editorial: Vultures eat dead things, vomit when stressed, urinate on their feet, but don't hold it against them

Those who think it's hard living with nature should imagine the alternative. And understand an inconvenient truth — the cuter an animal or plant is, the more likely humans are to favor it to the point of an imbalanced ecosystem. And vice versa.

Vultures are classified as a migratory bird.Rick Epstein/Hunterdon County Democrat

Vultures have made the news lately because of conflicts real and perceived with residents. They are heavy birds with some decidedly un-social-like behavior, by human standards.

Most obvious is their diet. Turkey vultures live on carrion, something people don't have the stomachs for, literally. When stressed, vultures vomit, maybe because it lightens the load if they have to take off suddenly. Standing under a roost and throwing things at the birds can turn out badly.

And vultures urinate on their feet. As George Costanza found out on "Seinfeld," most people don't think that's OK, even in the men's shower. Vultures don't make lame "couldn't hold it in" excuses when caught - biologists think that the behavior evolved to help kill bacteria that may linger on their feet after stepping in carrion. Or it helps them cool off on a hot day — they can't sweat like we can.

Many people find vultures creepy, because of their association with death. People who spot vultures circling overhead are likely to quip, "Something died!" That may be true. Or not. Sometimes the birds are looking for food, gaining altitude for a long trip, or just playing. Yes, sometimes they've spotted dinner and are circling to make sure it's safe to land.

A dozen vultures roost in a tall evergreen on March 21 in Frenchtown. Rick Epstein/Hunterdon County Democrat

Vulture-human conflicts rise in winter because that's when the birds will roost in a colony. Unless their behavior crosses the line — parking on materials made by humans and damaging or destroying them — their presence is often good for the environment.

So much so that The Turkey Vulture Society has posted a page devoted to the benefits these birds offer, including a highly acidic stomach that basically allows them to "eat and sterilize contaminated meat."

Absent vultures, decaying flesh could end up in a landfill, or breaking down in place and possibly contaminating ground or water. Without vultures, maggots and bacteria could take over but, as the Vulture Society points out, "Most people would prefer one vulture over thousands of bacteria or several pounds of maggots."

The nonprofit, scientific society was formed to study and protect the bird and educate humans. For more, or ways to keep vultures away from certain areas — sometimes the solution is as easy as stringing strong fishing line above a targeted railing to keep them from finding a comfortable perch — visit vulturesociety.homestead.com.